The present invention relates to an EKG recording electrode device which is used when taking an electrocardiogram in emergency cases, on-site or at a hospital, or in ordinary diagnosis at a hospital, for example.
Conventionally, an electrocardiogram is taken with electrodes attached to the chest of a human body by a suction cup method in which the electrodes built in suction cups are attached to the body surface after pretreating it by applying jelly, for example, or by a tape method in which the electrodes are attached to by means of adhesive tape. These electrode attaching methods, however, are not suited for diagnosis of emergency cases because the time required for attaching the electrodes is long. Therefore, it makes difficult to record a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram in a short time when above electrode attaching methods are used.
The suction cup method has such additional problems that too small a negative pressure in the suction cups would cause the electrodes to come off as a result of minor movements or perspiration of a patient and, on the contrary, too large a negative pressure in the suction cups could often cause subcutaneous bleeding in the chest wall of the patient. On the other hand, the tape method has such additional problems that it tends to cause skin redness due to the use of the adhesive tape and give uncomfortable bodily sensations to the patient when the adhesive tape is attached or detached.
To overcome the aforementioned problems, the inventor of the present invention previously proposed an EKG recording electrode holder in Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 1902495. This EKG recording electrode holder has a pair of front parts and a back part which are assembled to form a front-opening vest-like design with a zipper or other opening/closing device fitted to the front parts. The front parts of this electrode holder where electrodes are passed and maintained are of a mesh fabric made of stretchable fiber yarn.
The EKG recording electrode holder for electrocardiography of the aforementioned Utility Model is advantageous in that only if a patient puts it on in a manner of wearing a vest, it becomes possible to take an electrocardiogram with the electrodes held in the front parts of the electrode holder in close contact with the skin surface. This electrode holder, however, has a problem that it is time-consuming to make a patient of an emergency case on site put it on, for example, if it is difficult to change the position of the patient.
This invention is intended to provide a solution to the aforementioned problems of the prior art. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an EKG recording electrode device which can be easily and quickly fitted to a patient without giving uncomfortable bodily sensations to the patient even if it is difficult to change the position of the patient, making it possible to properly take an electrocardiogram.
According to a main feature of the invention, an EKG recording electrode device comprising, an electrode holder made of a sheet material having flexibility and a size suited for placing on an upper front part of a human body, and a plurality of electrodes attached to the electrode holder, each electrode including a contact portion having a curved surface on the side which comes into contact with a human skin.
In this construction, the electrode holder carrying the multiple electrodes can be fitted to the upper front part of the human body by just placing the electrode holder thereupon without the need to apply jelly for the electrodes or to attach the electrodes with adhesive tape. Since the contact pads attached to the electrodes are held in stable contact with the human skin surface in this condition, it is possible to correctly take an electrocardiogram.
Moreover, the standard 12-lead electrocardiogram can be taken easily and correctly, free from such problems as poor electrical contact of the electrodes due to the body shape or body hair of the patient or coming off of the electrodes from the human skin surface as a result of respiration or perspiration of the patient not only in ordinary diagnosis but also in emergency cases. Electrocardiographic waves recorded by an electrocardiograph may be transmitted to a critical medical care center, a hospital or a remote medical institution via a radio communications. This is advantageous in that a physician can recognize changes in the electrocardiogram of the patient on a real-time basis and give instructions back to the ambulance so that ambulance personnel can promptly take appropriate measures.
In one aspect of the invention, the electrode holder is formed into a shape which properly fits on the upper front part of the human body.
Since the electrode holder is correctly fitted on the upper front part of the human body by just placing the electrode holder thereupon in this construction, the contact pads of the electrodes can be held in stable contact with the human skin surface and it is possible to take the electrocardiogram correctly without causing the electrode holder to slip off the upper front part of the human body.
In another aspect of the invention, a pair of shoulder flaps which hang along the shoulders of the human body or a pair of side flaps which hang along the sides of the stomach of the human body are provided at upper left and right parts or at lower left and right parts of the electrode holder, respectively.
Since the flaps hanging along the shoulder tops and/or the sides of the stomach of the human body produce a pulling force acting symmetrically on the left and right sides in this construction, the electrode holder is kept from moving. Therefore, although the electrode holder is constructed to be fitted by just placing it on the upper front part of the human body, the electrode holder can be held in position in a stable fashion.
In a further aspect of the invention, joints made of a stretchable material are provided between the electrode holder and the individual flaps.
This alternative is advantageous in that it is possible to cause the flaps to properly hang along the left and right shoulder tops and/or along both sides of the stomach of the human body as the flaps can be easily bent at the respective joints when the EKG recording electrode device is in use, and the physical size of the electrode holder can be reduced by folding the flaps at the respective joints to the rear side when the EKG recording electrode device is not used.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.